Liverpool news: Florian Wirtz private talks emerge as star’s unseen reaction goes viral

Florian Wirtz has made a slow start to his Liverpool career following his record-breaking move from Bayer Leverkusen, and was dropped from the starting XI against Everton last weekend

It’s been a steady, if unspectacular, start to the season for Liverpool. Arne Slot’s side have been grinding out results, but the kind of commanding, free-flowing performances that defined last year remain conspicuously absent.

Late winners have become a recurring theme, papering over a string of flat displays rescued by flashes of individual brilliance in the dying minutes. To complicate matters, £116million summer signing Florian Wirtz has yet to find his feet – an expensive conundrum that continues to hang over the team’s new-look midfield.

Wirtz isn’t the only one struggling either. As a collective, Liverpool still look disjointed, with Slot searching for rhythm amid a wave of new arrivals. With questions swirling, Mirror Football runs through the latest news emerging from Anfield.

Wirtz private talks

Wirtz’s blockbuster move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool in the summer was meant to supercharge the Reds’ midfield, but early teething issues have sparked candid behind-the-scenes discussions with boss Arne Slot.

The 22-year-old German playmaker was benched for the Merseyside derby victory over Everton earlier this month, a 2-1 win that extended Liverpool’s winning streak. In a revealing interview, Wirtz has now lifted the lid on the private chat that followed, with Slot clarifying why he was benched.

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“After the Champions League game, he told me I wouldn’t start in the league because he wanted to control the load a bit and see which game I could play better in,” Wirtz told Sky Germany. “He decided on the Champions League game, that I would start there and then sit on the bench in the league. I was able to recover a bit and didn’t have to exert myself as much.”

Delving deeper, Slot pinpointed Wirtz’s fitness levels as a factor hindering his trademark creativity, attributing it to the Premier League’s brutal pressing demands. “It [the reason he hasn’t hit the ground running at Liverpool] could be that I’m trying to pass the ball faster,” he said.

“I recently talked to the coach about it, and he suggested why I might not be able to get into the situations I normally get into. That is, that I’m making the game fast with a dribble or a pass. He said it could be because we press a lot and I run a lot. For example, the running stats. I’m always at the top there because I try to push hard and do what the coach asks. I need a lot of strength and energy for that.

“That it will simply come step by step, as I play more games, get fitter, be able to do things more easily, and then, when I have the ball, be fit enough and recovered enough to push,” he added. “I have to work just as hard as everyone else to have a starting place or to be one of the best.”

Chiesa’s viral reaction

Federico Chiesa’s spell at Liverpool hasn’t been especially noteworthy, but an unseen moment of raw emotion during Liverpool’s 2-1 EFL Cup win over Southampton caught the attention online. The Italian winger, who laid on the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s dramatic late winner, reacted with unbridled dismay after the Frenchman was sent off seconds later.

After Ekitike had peeled off his shirt in exuberant celebration, earning a second yellow for his “needless and stupid” antics in Slot’s words, Chiesa buried his head in the chest of opposing defender Joshua Quarshie, a gesture of sheer frustration amid the chaos.

An image of the moment immediately began doing the rounds on social media, with fans hailing Chiesa’s “heart on sleeve” intensity as the perfect encapsulation of his Anfield integration.

Chiesa barely got a look in last season, featuring just six times in the league. But he’s played a far more central role in Slot’s plans this season, notably coming off the bench to net a late winner against Bournemouth on the opening day, and has been added to the Champions League squad after Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury. Now, with moments of passion to match his on-field contributions, he looks increasingly like a player the Anfield faithful can call their own.

Robertson’s bold claim

Andy Robertson has thrown down the gauntlet with a prophetic nod to team-mate Curtis Jones, backing the 24-year-old the midfielder to “explode” this season and soon establish himself as “one of the main players” at Liverpool. It’s high praise from the club’s vice-captain, especially with Jones vying for minutes in a midfield stacked with talents like Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

Jones ended the 2024/25 campaign in arguably the best form of his career, finally cementing a place in the starting XI after years of rotation under Jurgen Klopp. His rise has also been recognised at international level, with Thomas Tuchel handing him four England caps already this year – a timely boost as the World Cup looms.

For Liverpool supporters, Robertson’s faith will strike a chord. The midfield has looked fragile and inconsistent at times this season, and a homegrown player stepping up to be the club’s next talisman could be exactly what the team needs.

Jones has been something of a swiss army knife player at Anfield, filling roles across midfield and even deputising at full-back when required. With less than two years left on his contract, though, Liverpool may soon face a decision.

If Robertson’s prediction proves accurate, ensuring Jones’ long-term future at Anfield will be a priority – especially with the Trent Alexander-Arnold contract saga still fresh in the memory.

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